


The Turnover

by Tiny_Black_Cat



Series: Red Swan [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, F/F, Happy Ending, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Something sort of like a suicide attempt, Suicidal Thoughts, True Love's Kiss, but magical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2019-07-12 18:45:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16001117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiny_Black_Cat/pseuds/Tiny_Black_Cat
Summary: Part two of a series, but I don't think you need to have read the first part to understand this.Emma doesn't want to date Red. She doesn't. And she does something drastic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written 8/12/14.
> 
> Please read the tags and take care.

Red Riding Hood was trying really hard not to throw up. She was standing outside Snow White’s house, steeling herself to knock. She hadn’t seen Emma in forever, and she hoped she was home.

Finally, she knocked on the door and let herself in.

Emma was nowhere to be seen, but Snow White was in the kitchen.

“Red!” she smiled. “Come on in. How’ve you been?”

Red shifted nervously. “I - um - I’m looking for Emma.”

She could tell that Snow was trying to hide her disappointment.

“She’s upstairs.”

“Thanks.”

Red hurried up the stairs. “Hey Red” Snow called. “It’s nice to see you. We should talk sometime.”

“Yeah.” Red hardly knew what she was agreeing to.

 

The door was open so Red walked straight in.

She saw Emma sitting on Snow’s bed, staring off into the distance.

“Hi,” Red said.

Emma looked up and smiled.

“Hi,” she replied.

“So Emma,” Red jumped onto the bed. “I haven’t seen you for two weeks! Not at Granny’s, not around town - why?”

Emma’s smile faded. “I’ve been - busy. Being the sheriff and stuff. You can’t break a curse and expect everything to be the same.”

“I guess,” Red said. “Hey, I had an idea. Would you like to go out with me sometime? We probably wouldn’t go to Granny’s, ‘cause, you know, my grandma’s the owner, but we could find some other place?”

“No,” Emma said.

Red was crushed.

“Why?”

“I’m busy.”

“You can’t make time for me?” Red said. “Emma, I like you. And I'm pretty sure you like me too.”

Then an awful possibility occurred to her. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

Emma’s reaction was immediate.

“No! Ruby, of course not!”

She grabbed Red’s hand.

Then she realized what she was doing and dropped Red’s hand, backing away.

“No,” she said. “I am _not_  doing this again.”

Emma looked at Red.

“I am _not_  going to go out with you.”

“Why then?” Red asked.

“Because,” Emma said. “I’ve sworn off love.” She was becoming more and more agitated, staring off into the distance.

“Love is a curse! The one time I fell in love, all it got me was a kid and an eleven month jail sentence. My _love_ ,” she spat the word out. “Turned me in and ran.

“Emma,” Red said softly.

“And the last time,” Emma continued, “I really dated someone. When I let Mary Margaret convince me to date someone, he died! I am not doing that again. I am _never_  doing that again.”

Emma practically ran out of the room, and Red heard a door slam. She collapsed onto the bed in tears.

 

A few minutes later, Red heard footsteps on the stairs. She turned her tear-stained face away from the door in case it was Emma.

“Red?” it was Snow.

“Are you okay?” she asked her gently.

Red didn’t want to talk, so she shook her head.

“What happened?”

Snow didn’t want to bother her, but she wondered if she could help.

Red didn’t have the energy to respond.

Snow started to rub Red’s shoulder. Suddenly, she stopped. “Red?” she asked. “Do you - like Emma?”

Red wiped her eyes. “She likes me too,” she said.

She rolled onto her back and looked at Snow.

“She said that - that she’s sworn off love. And this is Emma we’re talking about; she’s stubborn. You’ve seen it.”

“She’s not that stubborn,” Snow said.

Red looked at her. “You don’t believe that. You know her better than anyone. She talks to you.”

“Not anymore,” Snow said.

Red sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I probably should be going. Work and all. I’ll just have to be patient.”

Snow reached out and hugged Red briefly.

“Besides,” Red said, opening the door. “I probably already killed my true love,” and left before Snow could reply.

 

Emma couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t that she was sleeping on a couch; she had camped in her car more than once. It was Ruby.

She kept seeing her hopeful, beautiful face as she asked Emma out. Ruby couldn’t know how much she wanted to say yes. But she also didn’t know how much the idea scared her.

Sometimes, Emma felt like she feared romantic relationships more than death. And then she had an idea. Not bothering to be quiet, she ran upstairs and shook Mary Margaret awake.

“Emma.” Mary Margaret yawned. “It’s,” she looked at the clock, “five o’clock! What’s so important?”

She turned on a lamp.

“I read a story in Henry’s book about how you once drank a potion to forget David. Do you have any of it left over?”

“No,” Mary Margaret replied. “And I wouldn’t give it to you if I could. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Emma said, realizing that she should probably try to appear more calm. “I’m just…” she didn’t finish.

“Emma,” Mary Margaret said. “Is this about Red?”

Emma was silent.

“Besides,” she added. “Magic always comes with a price. Remember what happened to Henry?”

“Yes,” Emma said, moving towards the door. “I remember.”

Mary Margaret gasped. “No! Emma don’t!”

She had already left.

Mary Margaret ran downstairs and picked up her phone. She quickly dialed a number.

“Red? Emma left, she’s not thinking straight, I’m worried she might do something drastic. Red, find her!”

 

Emma walked around town for a couple of hours. She wanted to head straight to Granny’s and wait for Belle, but she didn’t want her to get suspicious.

Too late, and Belle might leave or Ruby might start her shift. She decided seven was a good time.

When she arrived, Belle was there. She went right to Belle’s table and sat down.

“Hi! I’m Emma, I’ve seen you at the library a couple of times. Belle, right?”

“Right,” Belle looked a bit confused at Emma knowing her.

“Would you like a waffle?” she said. “It’s kind of my morning routine to come here and try something new.”

She smiled at Emma.

“No thanks, I’m in a hurry. Do you think you can help me with something?”

“Is it stop-eating-waffles urgent?” Belle asked, reluctantly putting down her fork.

“Well…” Emma wasn’t sure how to respond.

“What’s your problem?” Belle’s attention was now completely focused on Emma.

“I’m looking for something and I think Rumplestiltskin has it.”

“Is it magic?”

“Yes,” Emma said.

Belle looked confused again. “And why do you need me?”

“I was hoping you could let me look for it in his house.”

“What is it?” Belle asked.

“I can’t tell you.”

Belle took another bite out of her waffle.

“Please, Belle,” Emma pleaded. “I won’t hurt anyone with it. I won’t use it for evil. You can have it back when I’m finished.”

Belle considered her for a moment.

“Okay,” she said at last. “But _be careful_.”

 

Belle unlocked the door to Rumplestiltskin’s house.

“Where’s the kitchen?” asked Emma.

“To the left,” Belle replied.

Emma practically ran to the kitchen and yanked the freezer door open. Belle followed.

She had found what she was looking for. Emma held a plastic bag containing an apple turnover. Belle tried to remember if Rumplestiltskin had said anything about it. He had only told Belle not to eat anything in the fridge.

Then she remembered that she had heard of boy eating an apple turnover and falling into a coma. He had nearly died, even.

“Emma, don’t eat it!” she cried.

“It’s the only solution,” Emma said, her eyes on the turnover.

Belle tried to move towards her.

“Stop,” Emma said.

Belle froze. “Emma, you don’t have to do this. Whatever your problem is, this _isn’t_ the only solution.”

“You’re right,” Emma said. “It’s this or jump off a bridge.”

She took a bite of the turnover. Belle caught her as she fell.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a happy ending and a bit of a cliffhanger

Red had tracked Emma all around town before finally coming to Rumplestiltskin’s doorstep.

She didn’t check to see if it was unlocked; she merely broke down the door and found her way into the kitchen.

She froze at the scene before her eyes. Emma was unconscious. Belle held her as tears streamed down her own face. An apple turnover was on the floor.

Red rushed over to take Emma from Belle.

“I’m sorry,” Belle choked out.

“I should’ve never taken her her, but she begged and I trusted her -“

“Wait,” Red stopped her. “You let her eat this - what is this?”

“A sleeping curse,” Belle said sadly.

Red’s eyes flashed yellow.

“You should leave. I might _rip you to pieces_.”

Belle backed away. “I - I didn’t realize -“

“You didn’t realize that Rumplestiltskin has deadly magic? How could you expose Emma to all this!”

Belle realized something. Red wasn’t mad, she was heartbroken.

She was now sobbing with grief.

“Look,” Belle said, tentatively edging closer. “There’s always a cure. Remember what happened to the last person under a sleeping curse?”

“He died,” Red said.

“True love’s kiss.”

“So what?” the werewolf said, her eyes red. “Emma’s true love could be anywhere in the world. She’s as good as dead.”

“Red,” Belle said. “You try.”

“No,” Red said, looking at Emma. “Maybe we had something, but it wasn’t love.”

Belle held her as she sobbed into Belle’s shoulder.

 

Emma’s funeral was a small one. At one point or another, the whole town came to pay their respects, but only a few stayed for the ceremony.

Snow White and Prince Charming were there, mourning for a daughter they never knew. Belle decided to stay; she had only just met Emma but she felt guilty. Henry came, escorted by his foster mother.

Regina gazed upon Emma’s coffin, not knowing what to feel. For a long time she had wanted Emma dead, but Emma had made Henry happy.

Red mourned alone.

Usually she and Snow would be comforting eachother, but Emma’s loss was different. Snow mourned for a daughter. Red mourned for a friend, if not more.

Emma was kept in a glass coffin, just like her mother, but this time, there was no hope.

“Please,” Snow had walked up to Red. “If there is any chance you could be Emma’s true love .... If you don’t try I don’t know how I’ll be able to live with myself. You won’t either.”

Red knew she was right.

“Okay,” she whispered. “But it won’t work.”

She approached Emma’s coffin. People moved away from her to give her room. She gently lifted the glass. She gazed at Emma.

She was so beautiful. She did look like a princess. Red hoped she could have her happily ever after. A tear fell from her cheek, and Red leaned down and kissed Emma.

Emma gave a gasp and her eyes opened. Just as quickly, she closed her eyes.

“Emma?” Red asked. “Emma? Snow! She woke up and then closed her eyes.”

Snow hurried over and felt Emma’s wrist. “She has a pulse.” She smiled, and wiped away a tear. “She’s awake, but doesn’t want to wake up,” Snow said. “Talk to her. Please.”

Snow went and shooed everyone away.

“Why isn’t my mom awake?” Henry asked.

They walked away and Red didn't hear Snow's reply.

Red looked around. She was alone.

“Emma, I know you’re awake. Please listen to me. I’m sorry that you’ve had bad experiences with love. I have too, and if I’d permanently killed you .... I’m really sorry that this is all happening. It’s not just about me though. You have to live - for your parents, and Henry!”

Even the mention of Henry didn’t stir Emma. Red sighed.

"Please, Emma."

"True love kisses are bullshit," Emma said without opening her eyes.

Red laughed and wiped her eyes. "Yeah, they are."

"I don't - " Emma sighed. She frowned, as if it pained her to admit this. "I'm scared of this."

Red was silent.

"I wasn't kidding when I talked about those other guys."

"I know."

Emma opened her eyes. "You're sure you want" - she gestured vaguely in the air - "this?"

"This?"

Emma sighed again. "Me."

 

That night Emma and Red went to Granny’s.

“Red!” her grandmother called her. “It’s about time!”

“Granny, I’m not going to work tonight,” Red called back. Her grandmother muttered something and walked to Emma and Red’s table.

“What?” she huffed.

“Oh,” Red said, “um… spaghetti.”

Granny walked away.

“Spaghetti?” Emma asked. “Really, Ruby? Actually, what do you want me to call you?”

Red wanted to be called by her real name, not the one the curse gave her. But she wasn’t sure if Emma wanted to.

“You can call me whatever,” she said.

“‘Kay then, Red,” Emma said.

Ruby smiled.

Just then, Red’s grandmother came over with two plates of spaghetti.

“Thanks!” Red called after her. “But we don’t need two plates.”

She dumped one plate on top of the other.

“Why?” Emma was looking gorgeously confused.

Red used her fingers to pick out a noodle, and she put it in her mouth and slurped it.

After much eye-rolling, Emma copied her.

“Goodness!” Red’s grandmother exclaimed. “And I thought it was bad having one dog in the restaurant!”

Red ignored her. Emma blushed.

“Emma,” Red whispered. “Kiss me. It’ll annoy Granny.”

Emma raised and eyebrow. “That’s your only motivation?”

“I dare you,” Red grinned.

“Fine,” and Emma kissed Red. Reluctantly, Emma was the first to pull away.

“Now everyone’s staring,” she whispered.

“I don’t care,” Red said, and kissed her again. They only broke apart when they realized the whole diner was silent.

“I could get used to this,” Emma said, smiling. Red didn’t respond. She was staring, petrified, out the window.

“Red?” Emma followed Red’s gaze. The moon was almost full.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not entirely satisfied with this chapter but I’m not sure if I’m being too hard on myself. ~~I mean, I always am, but I hope this chapter’s okay.~~


End file.
